“Mars Research Laboratory”

by Harrison Carter, 6th Grade 1st Place Winner

 

      “Help me!” I yell down the hall. There are flickering, red lights everywhere. I fall with a heavy thud. I feel the solid, smooth metal that rubs against my fingers. I hear a ghostly scream in the distance. I try to think of all the people it could be. I give up midway.

        I get back on my feet. When I stand, I feel so dizzy that I might fall again. I look down at my white, one piece lab suit with yellow boots. There appears to be no holes. I sigh heavily with relief. I feel my yellow gas mask to make sure it’s okay. Thankfully, I discover it’s unharmed.

        I start to run faster down the hall. I feel the wind against my face. Escaping outside the lab is not an option because I’m on Mars with aliens. 

       The aliens are not bug-eyed humanoid creatures who have green skin. They are much more terrifying. Their skin is pitch black and rough as sandpaper. Their mouths, full of razor sharp teeth as big as knives, can open wide enough to engulf your entire skull. Since they are blind, they make horrible clicking noises for echolocation. Their tails are as long as whips with bony structures allowing them to pierce through anything. They have six legs with claws that are bigger than both of your hands combined. If all of that isn’t enough, the creatures’ faces are something made up in nightmares.

     “What should I do?” I think to myself. The truth is, there is nothing to do…but run. I sprint faster and faster until I slip on something in the hall. BAM! I slam to the ground, harder this time. I lay there unable to get up. I look at my coat that is now red and realize I’m lying in a pool of warm blood. I taste blood in my mouth from where I bit my lip as I fell. The taste makes me gag.

      I try to assess my surroundings, but red emergency lights are flashing throughout the narrow hallway making it difficult to see. I hear an alien tearing into someone’s body and smell the decay.        

      I look up and see an alien directly in front of me. I try to crawl, but I slip every inch of the way. I know I’m going to die. This. Is. My. End. Suddenly, I remember their kryptonite is water. I take out the vile of water from my left pocket and throw it. The creature dies instantly. I sprint to the emergency room and punch the button that sends water into the halls. It gushes out of every pipe. I realize I’m finally safe. 

      I call the government requesting a rescue. A few days later, an escape pod arrives for my crew and me. Sadly, no one else survived this mission. When the pod shoots into the atmosphere, I’m relieved. I look down at the red planet thankful I’ll never set foot there ever again.